Chase a



g Toall whom t'tmay domem-P 1 i i ;eitlmow"` ``thatwe`,GHA`'sn A. STEvENs, of i thecity of New Yorlqlin the county and State of New York, andIsAAc LINDsLEY, of Pawtucketin the county of Providence andu State offRhode Island, haveinvented newand Im- I proved Maehinery for ormingRopesfo'r Packi 33 ingandotherPurposes; andweidolherebydei h clarethatthe followingisafulhclear, and exact j `(hilescription thereofwhichiwillenable others z skilled in the` art to make ``and use the same, i, H reference being had to theaccoinpanying drawt ing forming partlof thisspecitication. i

This invention* relates to `improvements in 'apparatus for forming ropes, or structuresin theform'of ropes, of fibronssu'bstances of any kind; butit is more particularly intended to provide apparatus specially adapted forforming packing, inthe form of ropes and cords, of i asbestus and other mineral fibers, from loose fibers,`w-ithout twisting,for'packing steam-engines,w pumps, and the like.` The invention 1 consists, mainly, in alvertical compressing apparatus of long bars or staves, arranged to inclose a'spaoe having the form of an inverted `cone, said bars or staves` having to-and-fro radial movementsimpartedto them by suit- H able mechanism, to compres'sthe fiber fed` into 1 thesaid space and deliverlitin the form of a ropeor cord, or'in ``square, octagonal, or flat form, through a hole at the lower ends of said staves. The invention` also comprises a combination, with the said compressing apparatus, of spool-holders and yarn-guides, for holding and delivering yarn or cord to the fiber as it j is fed through the apparatus and oompressed 13;` for working in with the rope for stren'gthenr ing it to resist tensile strain. The invention i also comprises a combination, with the said compressing apparatus, of apparatus for covering the said rope with twine or thread, or i `winding twine or thread around it, to confine the fibers in the compressed form in which' they are delivered 3 and it also comprises a combination, with the said compressing apparatus, of a pair of rollsand a guide for receiving the finished rope and conductingit away. i Figure lis a side elevation of our improved machine. `]5Tig.2isahorizontalsectonthrough UI'T'E'DISTATE'S A. sfrrivirlns,` :or`` `NEW YORK, `N. Y.,= AND t IsAAo LINDsLEY, oF PAW- 1 1** rnonnnnnonn;isLND, `Assienons `To oHAsn A. sfrnvnns, ANDsAID srnvnnsnssrenoafro ABIJH nIoHAnDsoN.

IMPROVMT jlNfMAcHlNRY FirFoRMlNe PACKING FROM AsBEsTus AND oTHER- FIBRous pp 1 f |`v|AT`ER|ALs`` j i y spetifiqnzl fntlifigipartofnaersPattntnofirel. dateanmh 14,1871.``

the compressing apparatus, taken on the line 'wm of Fig. l, looking downward. Figf is a view of the part shownat the same section, i

looking' upward. Fig.- 4 isa horizontal section of the covering or bindingV apparatus. Figi)` Ais asectional elevation taken on the line x w' of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is ani underside view of thetop plate. i Fig. 7 is a detail view oflone of theicompressing-bars and its support and guide at the upper end, and Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the rope packing made b this machine. i -Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts. i I The compressing bars or staves comprise two kinds, A and B, which are arranged around a Vertical axis to form a kind of funnel for the reception of the fiber to be compres'sed and worked into the cord or rope at the wide upper end, and gradually compress it into the form and size required as it works down to and escapes at the orifice at the lower end. The said bars are widest at the top, and

narrow down to a point, or nearly so, at the bottom, as is required in order to in'close the said conical space. The bars A have horizontal ribs C at each end, which work in rad'ial' grooves D in the plates E F, in which they are supported and guided in their radial movements. The edges G of these plates are oblique to the planes of their greatest breadth, making them much narrower at the inside than at the outside, and'they have the projec-v tions H on the outsides, near their lower ends, to be acted on by the long Vertical tappets I of a deep Vertical ring, K, resting land turning in the annular recess J of a ring, L, rising A'up from the base-plate F, said ring K having a toothed rim, M, in which a pinion, N,works to turn it, said pinion being on the main driving-shaft O. At the lower ends these bars have other projections, P, against which the temper-screens screw through the ring L, to limit the backward movement of the said bars, which are caused by Springs R, at-.

tached one to each end. The upper endsalso 'work against adjusting-screens S, supported in the ring or flange T of the plate E. The bars B are made in the triangular-pointed cord or twine.

shape represented in Fig. 7, to fit the triangular spaces formed between the bars A by the oblique sides Gr, in which they lie, being suspended at the upper ends by stud-pins U, working in eye-studs V on the ring T. The plate E is supported on the under side of the top W of the frame, through which is a hole as large as the space within the compressingbars at the upper end; and above the top W is a broad plate, X, also having a similar hole, and the series of radial grooves Y around said hole on the lower side. This plate is supported a little above the top W by studs Z, to provide space for the twisted threads or cords Z', of animal or vegetable or other fiber, to be incorporated with the ropes to be formed by .introducing them from spools a to the condensing apparatus through the grooves Y, so that they pass down along the sides of the compressing-bars, and become embedded in the su'bstance of the rope longitudinally at suitable distances apart for increasin g the tensile strength. The rope orl cord of packing thus formed is delivered through the nozzle b in a hole in plate F at the lower end of the compressor, and passes between two or more fiiers, d, on a horizontally-revolving table, 8, oarrying bobbins f of binding cord or twine, which is wound on the packing as it passes along by the said fiiers, which are driven by a cord, g, workingl from the countershaft h, which is driven from the'main shaft, or it may be by any other means. Below this table e, which has a hole in the center for the cord to pass through, is arranged a pair of drawingrollers, i, over which or one of them the said rope or packing-cord passes, and is delivered to any receiving apparatus. K is a guide fitted against the side of one of the rollers, and suitably arranged to cause the rope to wind spirally around it, to prevent it from contact with itself' when it is first received upon the roll,`which, by the rubbing of the two parts together, would displaoe the binding These rollers are driven from the main shaft by the cord l, shaft m, and worm-gears n; but they may be driven in any approved iway. All the moving parts a're geared to have the proper speed relatively to each other.

While this compressing apparatus is specially adapted for compressin g the mineral fiber of asbestus, amianthus, hornblen'de, and the like into a rope-like structure, it may also be used with good results in connection with twisting apparatus for making ropes of Vegetable or animal or other fiber, by compressing it in the same way into a rope or sliver, and delivering to a spinning apparatus, such as a 'flier or other equivalent device adapted for spinning, and placed below the nozzle, in place of the covering 4apparatus here shown, and we propose to make such use of it.

In the manufacture of the packing, the fiber may be compressed upon and around a central core of cord or twine, or any strong fiber, which may take the place of the cords Z', the said cord being fed down into the compressor at the center from a spool above, or in any approved way.

The compressor may be arranged horizontally instead ofvertically, if preferred; but we preter to arrange it as here shown.

Having thus described our inventiou, We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The funnel-shaped ber-compressor, consisting of the two sets of staves or bars, arranged for having the simultaneous to-and-fro radial movements, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the compressing staves or bars, of the plates E F, having the I radial grooves D, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the said compressing staves or bars, of the tappet-ring K and springs R, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the compressor, of the cord-guide X Y, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the compressor, of the covering-fliers d and bobbin-carrier e, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the compressor, of the drawing-rolls, substantially as specified.

7. The combination, with the drawing-rolls, of the guide K, substantially as specified.

CHASE A. STEVENS. ISAAC LINDSLEY. Witnesses:

GEO. W. MABEE, ALEX. F. RoBERTs. 

